There have been a many attempts to provide still image cameras that enhance still image picture taking by capturing audio signals during image capture and using the captured audio signals for various purposes such as camera control and annotation purposes. In commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,472 audio is recorded in a photographic film camera in association with individual exposed frames. In this patent the audio received by the camera is first digitized and stored in a temporary storage memory in the camera allowing playback through a speaker mounted in the camera to permit playback review and editing, as needed. When the film is advanced in the camera to the next exposure frame, the digital audio signal is recorded on a magnetic layer formed on the film. At the photofinisher, the digital audio signal is read and converted to suitable encodement format, such as bar code or binary coded blister marks which are impressed on the photo print for subsequent playback. In the '472 patent a switch is provided that a user activates to cause sounds to be recorded.
Many conventional digital cameras provide audio capture capabilities that are enabled only when such cameras are operated in a video image capture mode. Other conventional digital cameras provide no audio capture capability, or provide only one mode of image and audio capture.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,931,201 provides a method of presenting an image together with related sound comprising: capturing an image; capturing a passage of sound; capturing further information relating to the image; printing the image to form a printed image; writing the passage of sound on to an electronic storage device as sound information; further writing the further information on to the electronic storage device; fixing the electronic storage device to the printed image; and connecting one or more devices to the electronic storage device to enable, together or separately, the information defining the passage of sound to be transferred from the electronic storage device for reproduction as sound and the further information to be transferred from the electronic storage device for use. In '201 patent, it is noted that a camera useful in this method can be provided, with certain basic controls and displays including: means to start and stop recording and to associate a specific recording with a specific image, and preferably means to display when a given recording is in progress and means for sound playback. Optional features include recording audio that is synchronized with taking of a picture (starting or stopping at the point of image capture, or with image capture occurring at a predefined point during sound capture)—other conventional sound recording features (stereo, noise reduction etc.). However, it will be appreciated that the '201 patent provides no indication as to what the means to start and stop recording comprise, or what controls or means are provided to establish recording features for audio capture. Thus, there is a need in the art for an image capture device that is adapted to enable automatic audio capture in ways that are most useful for the kind of images being captured, particular image capture conditions, or particular uses for such audio signals.